Department for Education

Pre-school Education: Finance

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the 2020-2021 budget headings are for the £66m increase in early years funding announced at the Spending Round 2019.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the budget headings are for the supplementary funding for maintained nursery schools in 2020-2021 announced by his Department in October 2019.

Vicky Ford: The additional £66 million to support early education entitlements in 2020-21 which was announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer in August 2019, provided an 8 pence an hour increase in rates for the 2-year-old entitlement and also for the vast majority of areas for 3- and 4-year-old entitlement for 2020-21 - which we subsequently announced in October 2019. It has also maintained funding rates for 2020-21 for the small number of authorities which have been protected from large drops to their funding as a result of the “loss cap”.Details of this increased funding, broken down by individual funding stream and across local authorities, was published in December 2019 and can be found at the link below:https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/single-funding-statement/latest/dedicated-schools-grant/download-funding/2020-to-2021.This publication does not have ‘budget headings’ other than columns naming the entitlements by age group, along with columns for the Disability Access Fund (DAF) and the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP).The funding allocations for local authorities are based on actual take up of the entitlement hours. Therefore, allocations for 2020-21 will be updated, first in summer 2020 using updated data from the January 2020 schools and early years censuses, and then in summer 2021 using January 2021 census data for the final allocation.In total, the government plans to spend more than £3.6 billion to support early education entitlements in 2020-21.

Social Workers: Protective Clothing

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to provide social workers with protective clothing so that they can continue visiting children during the covid-19 outbreak.

Vicky Ford: The department will work with schools, childcare settings and local authorities to ensure that adequate supplies of personal and domestic cleaning products are available and are working cross government to achieve this. We will issue further detailed guidance regarding the supply of Personal Protective Equipment to settings that require it.

Educational Institutions: Coronavirus

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to issue advice to schools and high education institutions on possible closures as a result of covid-19.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 23 March 2020



The Department sends a daily email to schools, colleges and other education providers, which gives updates and new guidance. All advice is on GOV.UK and is frequently updated in line with developments.The Department is also working closely with the English higher education sector to ensure they have the latest guidance from Public Health England (PHE) and other relevant Government departments.Vice chancellors and college principals will make decisions about their own institutions using the latest PHE guidance. The Department is working closely with the sector to facilitate this.Advice continues to be that campus accommodation should remain open unless advised otherwise by PHE. Many universities are home to international students, care leavers and students who are estranged from their families – all of whom might not have anywhere else to go.

Education: Coronavirus

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on guaranteeing the income of the (a) Adult Education Budget, (b) apprenticeship and (c) other study programmes during the covid-19 outbreak.

Gillian Keegan: There is urgent work under way in the department, the Education and Skills Funding Agency and with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) to ensure that we have the appropriate policy response in place to respond to the impact of Covid-19 on the Further Education sector and its adult learners. We are also looking at how we can help to mitigate the impact on the activity-based funding model for apprenticeships. On 16-19 funding, we do not anticipate that the closure will affect 2019/20 or 2020/21 funding for which education institutions’ allocations have already been calculated. We are looking at the implications for future years and will clarify as soon as we are able to.

Universities: Coronavirus

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support universities during the covid-19 outbreak.

Michelle Donelan: Holding answer received on 24 March 2020



The higher education (HE) sector is facing challenges during these unprecedented times. The government’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of students and staff. On Friday 20 March, I wrote to HE providers to thank them for the huge amount of work they have done to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and to outline the steps that the department is taking to support them. On Thursday 26 March, I wrote a second letter to HE providers, giving further government advice on key issues.We are ensuring that information-flows between the department and providers are as strong as possible. We are actively supporting the Universities UK-led Sector Coordination Group and providing guidance on GOV.UK relating to all educational settings. Working with the Office for Students (OfS), as the regulator in England, we will supplement this general guidance with more HE-specific information and have suspended a number of regulatory reporting requirements for the duration of the crisis, so providers can focus on doing their best for students.We will do all we can to support our HE system. The department is working closely with the Home Office, the Student Loans Company, UCAS and Ofqual, as well as equivalent bodies in the devolved administrations, on measures designed to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the HE sector. We are also working closely with the OfS to ensure that we understand the potential financial implications of COVID-19 on the sector and to keep abreast of developments.The latest guidance for schools and other educational settings can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.

Apprentices: Standards

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will remove all observations for the end point assessment (EPAs) of apprentices and replace EPAs with professional judgement.

Gillian Keegan: We are working with training providers, end-point assessment organisations and external quality assurance organisations during this challenging time to maintain the integrity of apprenticeships and support employers and apprentices.Guidance issued on GOV.UK on 23 March 2020 sets out how we are responding to the impact of Covid-19, including on the matters of end point assessments: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response.Guidance from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education on the delivery of assessment was issued on 23 March 2020 and is available at the following link: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/response-to-covid-19/.We are keeping the guidance under review and will publish updates as the situation evolves.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

USA: Diplomatic Immunity

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many US citizens have diplomatic immunity in the UK.

Wendy Morton: Holding answer received on 19 March 2020



US citizens who are members of the Embassy of the United States of America are notified to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, in line with Article 10 of the VCDR 1961.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government’s modelling suggests the peak level of covid-19 infection will be; how many people will be infected at that point; and what the confidence intervals are around that projection.

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish (a) the Government’s modelling of the delay to and reduction in the peak of the UK covid-19 outbreak (i) most likely to be achieved by the steps announced on 12 March 2020 and (ii) which would be achieved if additional social distancing measures were adopted as of 16 March 2020, (b) the assumptions behind the behavioural models on the (A) level and (B) length of public take up of measures and (c) the sensitivity of the behavioural models to those assumptions.

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the Government’s modelling estimates the average likelihood is of a UK resident catching covid-19 in the next seven days; and what the estimated peak of the covid-19 outbreak is for (a) individuals who do not follow the Government’s advice on reducing the spread of the virus, (b) individuals who do follow the Government’s advice and (c) individuals who go further than the Government's advice and reduce their social contact.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 19 March 2020



The Government relies on modelling work undertaken by several academic groups, who report to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies through its various subgroups. A collection of modelling information which has informed decision making on COVID-19 has now been published at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

Coronavirus: Older People

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason his Department is targeting advice at people aged over 70 when the World Health Organisation advice targets people aged over 60 as being at risk.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 23 March 2020



International data shows that the hospitalisation rate is greatest in the vulnerable, including those aged 70 and older. Asking this group to be most stringent with social distancing is important for reducing the pressure on intensive care beds. The United Kingdom policy is based on a review of the scientific evidence by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response

Coronavirus: Holiday Accommodation

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what advice his Department is providing to hotels and guest houses on admitting guests during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: On 23 March 2020, the Government ordered hotels and guest houses to close to reduce social contact, prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. The exception to this is where hotels, guest houses, hostels and bed and breakfasts are providing rooms to support homeless and other vulnerable people through arrangements with local authorities or to provide accommodation for key workers.Further information on closing certain businesses and venues is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876905/300320_Revised_Guidance.pdf

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people who have self-isolated as a result of having the symptoms of covid-19 will be required to self-isolate again in the event that those symptoms return.

Helen Whately: People will have to self-isolate again if symptoms return. Work is going on to look at testing for immunity to the virus, but until that exists, people with COVID-19 symptoms, and their household members, must stay at home. Staying at home will help control the spread of the virus to friends, the wider community, and particularly the most vulnerable. The stay at home guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Community Development: Safety Measures

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been published for community groups on implementing safety measures to protect people from the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: Holding answer received on 24 March 2020



The latest guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidanceThe guidance is being regularly updated as further announcements are made.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horticulture: Coronavirus

Claudia Webbe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to keep garden centres open in the event of a lockdown as a result of covid-19.

Victoria Prentis: We understand this issue is of great concern to the sector and we are in discussions with the Horticultural Trades Association.